Originally Posted by
ByrdluvsAWACO
That doesn't solve their utilization issue though. Other than PDX, those routes have long stage lengths as well. VX should focus on intra-west routes where their aircraft can achieve a higher number of cycles per day. PHX/TUS, PDX, DEN, SLC, ABQ are good candidates.
The irony of this is is that their product really becomes valuable on longer flights. People might be willing to pay a significant premium for IFE and whatnot on a 6 hour transcon, but for short hops, they might as well be another Southwest where people want frequency, not movies that they don't have time to watch.
Legacies and even B6 manage to achieve pretty good utilization of their aircraft flying transcons - by choosing a smart mix of long as well as medium and short routes, they can rotate aircraft through different routes that are a good use of flight hours. VX needs to be smart about choosing the intra-west routes and learn how to properly rotate the aircraft through them rather than entering a few new airports, throwing a few new aircraft at them and being done with it.